Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi, in a written answer on 3 July 2026, defended the EU's food safety framework for imports and signalled support for boosting European production of strategic ingredients like arachidonic acid used in infant formula, following contamination cases linked to Chinese-sourced material. The answer, addressed to a group of MEPs led by Laurence Trochu (ECR), comes after babies were hospitalised and some died due to cereulide contamination in formula, traced to arachidonic acid produced in China.
Várhelyi stressed that the EU already has a robust legal framework and official controls to ensure third-country imports meet EU standards, including audits, import bans, and the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) for swift risk communication. He noted that the Commission can suspend or ban imports where serious deficiencies are found. On the question of food sovereignty and reducing dependence on China, the Commissioner pointed to the Life Sciences Strategy and Bioeconomy Strategy, which recognise advanced fermentation technologies as key to developing European production of the contaminated ingredient, arachidonic acid-rich oil. However, the answer did not announce new concrete measures, numerical targets, or a timeline for relocation of production, remaining largely declarative in its commitments.
the Commission prioritises enforcement of existing import controls over immediate trade restrictions, while encouraging long-term investment in EU fermentation capacity. No specific legislative follow-up or deadline was mentioned, but the reference to ongoing activities under the two strategies suggests future policy proposals may emerge in the context of the EU's broader bioeconomy and life sciences agendas. Stakeholders impacted include EU infant formula producers, who may face pressure to source ingredients domestically; Chinese suppliers of arachidonic acid, who could see increased scrutiny; EU consumers, who benefit from enhanced safety assurances but may face higher costs if production is relocated; and EU fermentation technology firms, who stand to gain from potential investment incentives.